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Holland council member and residents urge board to revisit sheriff funding and dispatch cost-sharing after pay increase
Summary
A Holland elected official told the Pipestone County Board during public comment that several small towns cannot sustain recent sheriff funding increases and urged the board to renegotiate cost-sharing or consider countywide levy approaches to avoid disproportionately burdening small, low-tax-base communities.
A lengthy public-comment segment focused on sheriff pay, dispatch funding and perceived inequities between Pipestone and smaller towns in the county.
An attendee who identified himself as a Holland official urged commissioners to reconsider earlier decisions that increased sheriff funding and related fees charged to towns. He said several small towns in the county cannot afford the higher cost and argued that the funding arrangement could force towns to raise taxes or consider levies. He also said prior public messaging about 911/dispatch availability had been inaccurate and that the towns received alarmed responses from residents.
The commenter described a broader concern among several town councils who feel they did not receive commensurate service for the original price and who now resent a substantial percentage increase. He urged commissioners to renegotiate or to seek a countywide solution that spreads costs more broadly rather than relying on individual small-town payments. "If all communities in the county decide to go this route, rural taxes are going up…our taxes in Holland and every other small community are gonna go up significantly to help subsidize the city of Pipestone's law enforcement if we were to levy for all towns in the county," the speaker said.
The floor included discussion of prior correspondence and county responses to the state; the commenter said some prior public statements were inaccurate and urged the board to engage directly with town councils. Several commissioners and the sheriff responded during the meeting: the sheriff emphasized the board and the sheriff's office are not adversaries and encouraged cooperative problem-solving. A commissioner acknowledged earlier inaccurate information and said the county would continue to engage with town leaders.
No formal motions or votes were taken on dispatch or sheriff funding at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff and interested town leaders to continue discussing financing options and to bring concerns to scheduled meetings for further consideration.
